"As the great Michael Jordan said!"
During halftime, Smith flipped through the statistics at the TNT commentary desk. "Kai Chen is carrying on his and Kobe Bryant's torch, becoming the strongest shooting guard of the new era."
"Look at what this rookie did in the first half!"
"With 28 points and 8 assists, you can understand why he was personally chosen by Jordan as his successor!"
O'Neal, sitting beside him, couldn't help but exclaim, "Indeed, ever since Kobe Bryant retired…"
"We haven't seen a true shooting guard deliver such a spectacular visual feast in a long time!"
"If you were seriously watching the game, you would have been captivated by his aura!"
Watching the replay of the first half's highlights from both teams, Smith offered a measured analysis. "With all due respect, I think the turning point of this game was when Kai Chen dunked over Aldridge."
"In the opening stages, the San Antonio Spurs, playing at home, had the upper hand thanks to the atmosphere created by the fans."
"But Kai Chen shattered that balance with a poster dunk that will surely go down in history."
Oakland, Oracle Arena.
Warriors star Stephen Curry, looking somewhat helpless, turned off the TV.
"Perhaps we need to start paying attention to this rookie."
Recalling Kai Chen's offensive performance, Curry's eyes revealed an endless fighting spirit.
"That kid really stunned the San Antonio Spurs."
Stephen Curry wasn't the only one watching Kai Chen's game at the same time.
Houston, Toyota Center.
Chris Paul handed James Harden a towel. "James, are you really not going to watch Kai's game?"
Ever since Jordan announced that Kai Chen was his and Kobe's successor, Harden had been holding a grudge.
Over the past two seasons, Harden had put up unparalleled individual statistics, and this season, his career had reached its peak.
In the eight games since the start of the season, Harden had averaged a staggering stat line of 38.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists.
Most importantly, he had scored 30+ points in every single game.
His excellent performance led the Houston Rockets to a 7–1 record, second only to the Golden State Warriors and the Clippers.
Harden, also a shooting guard like Kai Chen, felt he hadn't received the respect he deserved.
"Why should I watch his game!?"
Harden wiped his sweat, preparing to change into new gear before returning to the court. "Don't tell me that kid scored big again. I can do that too!"
"James, you need to understand that when we face the Clippers, you'll be guarding Kai Chen."
Paul picked up his phone and waved it at Harden. "Studying that kid's playing style is like going into battle prepared."
Hearing Paul's words, Harden sensed the truth in them, though he still replied stubbornly, "I'm just a bit tired from training."
With that, he sat beside Paul and watched the game between the Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio, AT&T Center.
Watching Kai Chen continuously score on the court, Spurs Head Coach Popovich was filled with concern.
If Kai were under his command, Popovich would be confident in winning a championship.
But now that Kai Chen stood on the opposing side, how could he find a way to deal with him in the shortest possible time?
This might be a century-long problem.
Just like when he couldn't solve Kobe Bryant back then.
After losing Aldridge, the Spurs' intensity on both offense and defense declined in the second half.
The gap between the two teams gradually widened.
Ultimately, the Clippers defeated the home team San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center, securing their eighth victory of the season.
This was also their eighth consecutive win.
Although they won, Kai knew very well that the current Spurs were far from their ruthless playoff form.
When the playoffs arrived, this Spurs team would be incredibly strong.
"This is just a regular season game."
After the game, Popovich stated in an interview, "Compared to this loss, I'm more concerned about Aldridge's injury."
"But I cannot deny that their rookie, Kai Chen, played exceptionally well."
In the eyes of the veteran Popovich, regular season results had never been a priority.
Kai Chen performed brilliantly and disrupted their tactical arrangements.
But once the playoffs began, Popovich had absolute confidence in limiting Kai Chen.
"Kai Chen definitely has the potential to succeed Jordan and Kobe."
DeRozan, interviewed afterward, expressed his admiration. "Kai's scoring methods on the offensive end left me in awe."
"I'm also happy to witness the rise of a super shooting guard."
DeRozan, also a shooting guard, was once hailed as "the next Kobe."
Perhaps he never imagined that, in today's league, only he remained clinging to that final glimmer of light belonging to the classical shooting guard.
On the other side, Kai Chen was being interviewed. A reporter held up a phone, replaying his poster dunk over Aldridge.
"Although I really liked that dunk, I still hope Aldridge is okay."
"Kai, in your next game, you'll be traveling to face the Dallas Mavericks on the road."
The reporter continued, "We all know the Mavericks have this year's fifth overall pick, Luka, who spoke very highly of you in a previous interview. What do you have to say about that?"
"Luka is the strongest player in this draft class, besides myself."
Facing the camera, Kai Chen responded directly, "I'm really looking forward to playing against him. I think it'll be very interesting."
"So, what do you have to say about Ayton?"
"Next question." Kai Chen smiled and shook his head, leaving everything else unsaid.
Shortly after the Clippers vs. Spurs game ended,
the Mavericks also repelled the formidable Portland Trail Blazers on their home court.
In the first game where Luka was confirmed as the core, he delivered a career-defining performance.
He shot 14-of-22 from the field, including 6-of-8 from three-point range, finishing with a stat line of 40 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists.
He became the second player in the 2018 draft class, besides Kai Chen, to score 40+ points.
"Just as Kai said, our matchup will definitely be very interesting."
Luka, interviewed after the game, stated confidently, "We will become the best duo of the 2018 class, just like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the football world."
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